"The scum of the People are most Tyrannical when they get the Power, and treat their Betters with the greatest Insolence"

This quote by Mary Astell talks to the power dynamics in between the privileged and the oppressed. Astell is suggesting that when those who have been oppressed gain power, they frequently use it to oppress those who have formerly oppressed them. This is a kind of revenge, and Astell is warning that it can cause a cycle of tyranny and oppression. She is also recommending that those who have been oppressed can be just as despotic as those who have been privileged, and that they can deal with those who have been privileged with fantastic disrespect. This quote speaks to the value of comprehending power characteristics and the requirement to make sure that those who have been oppressed are not offered excessive power, as it can result in a cycle of oppression.